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'I want him dropped': Details emerge of Shannon Frizell's bar assault
By Sam Smith
The parents of the female victim at the centre of Shannon Frizell’s alleged assault have spoken out following the All Blacks star’s appearance in court.
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Frizell appeared in the Dunedin District Court on Tuesday as he faced two charges of male assaults female and one of common assault over an alleged assault that took place at a Dunedin nightclub in May.
The case was adjourned for him to complete police diversion, meaning the 27-year-old is likely to escape conviction over the matter.
Stuff has since revealed details of what unfolded throughout and after the May 9 incident as Frizell reportedly sent a message over Instagram to a third party connected to the victims.
“F*** you b**** tell your friend to hide I’m gonna f*** everyone’s up f*** with the wrong guy,” the message reportedly read.
Stuff reports the message was sent after Frizell is understood to have slapped the female victim, who is known to the 15-test All Black, following an exchange of words.
After then trying to leave Vault 21, a popular bar/restaurant in the centre of Dunedin, Frizell is reported to have punched the female victim in the face, giving her a fat upper lip and a split lower lip.
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The female victim’s boyfriend is reported to have tried to intervene after the first incident and was then “coward punched” while on his phone outside the bar.
Stuff reports both victims sustained injuries as a result of the physical altercations.
Both parents of the female victim have since commented on the matter, with the women’s father saying that he wants Frizell cut from the All Blacks.
“I want him dropped from the All Blacks,” he told Stuff on Friday. “I am p***ed off that he gets diversion. At the end of the day, he is a thug.”
Frizell featured in two tests against Fiji earlier this month and has since been named in the All Blacks squad to play in the upcoming Bledisloe Cup and Rugby Championship series.
Which players would make an all-time All Blacks XV? That’s the question fans will get to answer as ex-New Zealand internationals and leading Kiwi broadcasters and journalists aim to find the best All Blacks team ever. #AllBlacks https://t.co/u8rS2RFx4c
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 30, 2021
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The female victim’s mother, meanwhile, told the Otago Daily Times that her daughter, who is a student and works two jobs, reportedly needed time off work for dental treatment after she suffered a broken tooth.
“Her trauma has been disregarded and his full actions have been dismissed,” the victim’s mother, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told the Otago Daily Times. “The man put fear into my girl and that’s been the worse thing to see.”
She added: “We don’t care about his sentence or any money. It’s more about the lack of consideration he’s shown and the dilution of what he really did. [My daughter] is coping good on the outside, but clearly unhappy with all the hidden truths.”
Stuff reports CCTV footage of the incident inside the bar was unavailable, but police have viewed footage of the incident outside the bar.
Following his appearance in court on Tuesday, Frizell issued a public apology for his actions.
“I would like to take this opportunity to say how very sorry I am for my behaviour during the incident in May this year,” he told reporters.
“I would especially like to say sorry to the people involved and the harm I have caused.
Former All Blacks great Sonny Bill Williams has weighed in on where he sees Roger Tuivasa-Sheck’s best playing position in rugby union. #AllBlacks #NRL https://t.co/ur7edqoJ15
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“I am very grateful for all the opportunity I’ve had and I won’t take them for granted.
“I let myself and others down, and will now try to do everything I can to restore people’s faith in me.
“I have already put a plan in place with counsellors to help me address areas I want to work on.
“Once again, I’d like to apologise to the people involved, my family, my friends and the wider community.”
Frizell has since been handed a two-match suspension by New Zealand Rugby [NZR], with NZR general manager of professional rugby and performance Chris Lendrum saying the loose forward has accepted responsibility for his actions.
Frizell will miss the opening Bledisloe Cup clash against the Wallabies next Saturday after already serving his first match when he sat out the Highlanders’ clash against the Reds in May.
Frizell was granted bail and ordered not to contact either victim or consume alcohol until his next court appearance in September.
If the reported assaults are true the offender is certainly not worthy of an AB's jersey, nor even any club jersey. Reparation to the victims is an obligation. As a lenient consideration, he is young enough to have a two year good behaviour stand down, with a concurrent two year community good works condition, and a full review after that.
The justice system doesn't really even care about us,do the crime pay the price or do time....it's time for NZ rugby and I.R.P to at this bullshit and it's been happening for so long and to long..it's not fair..